The 2023 season saw five Cowboys finish near the top of voting for some of the biggest awards in the NFL.
Dak Prescott nearly won MVP, CeeDee Lamb just missed the OPOY award, and Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland were big competitors for DPOY.
Cowboys had two of the five leading vote-getters for both AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. Dak Prescott finished somewhere in top five for MVP. Award winners to be announced Feb. 8. https://t.co/IjPMsv3UAe
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 25, 2024
While some say awards are meaningless, they usually mean you did well on the field.
That was the case last season, despite the playoff collapse.
Dallas won the NFC East and finished with a 12-5 record and home-field advantage.
If they replicated that kind of success this year, I don’t think any Cowboy fan would be upset about it.
It would also mean they’d once again be in contention for some major awards.
You can’t argue Dallas has no stars on the roster, and those are the exact guys that will be competing for award-based recognition.
So, let’s take a look at which Cowboys have the best chance to become award winners in 2024.
Comeback POY, CB Trevon Diggs
If any defensive player were to take over Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow for the Comeback Player of the Year, it would be a big upset.
But, if Cornerback Trevon Diggs returns from his torn ACL with another All-Pro season, the upset could be in order.
Diggs went down with his knee injury during practice last September.
Since then, he’s been grinding to return with vengeance, and it sounds like he’s about to do just that.
Players and coaches have raved about Diggs’ recovery.
Cowboys CB DaRon Bland on Trevon Diggs returning from his season-ending knee injury: “I mean, a lot of people are not expecting what Tre is gonna come back with. I know what Tre is gonna come back with. It’s going to be something dangerous. Can’t wait.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 2, 2024
They say he is going to be a totally different beast in 2024, and considering he’s had an 11 interception season, an evolved version of him might be incredible.
Diggs putting the coverage concerns to bed while maintaining his interception tally would be huge for Dallas.
And, it might just land him the Comeback Player of the Year while he’s at it.
Defensive POY, LB Micah Parsons
Let’s get one thing clear: at some point in the future, superstar LB Micah Parsons will win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The only question is when that will happen.
Since entering the NFL, Parsons has finished second in 2021 and 2022 and third in 2023 in DPOY voting.
💥 40.5 career sacks
💥 213 career tackles
💥 7 forced fumbles
💥 2x 1st-team All-Pro
💥 3x Pro Bowler
💥 2021 DROY
💥 President of B/R Gridiron@MicahhParsons11 accomplished all this before his 25th birthday 😤 pic.twitter.com/Z2HRjW4XeR— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) May 26, 2024
It is literally a matter of time before he moves up just a few spots to number one.
Not to mention, Parsons has been a monster for Dallas, but a year where he gets the DPOY means a year of improved play.
Improvement from a guy like him means a potentially historic season, and the Cowboys could definitely use that.
Of course, whether or not he gets the award doesn’t define his ability.
But he is a guy that’s trying to make his case for the best defensive player in football.
And you need an award like this under your belt if you’re going to make that case over guys like Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt.
Is this finally the year Parsons gets the DPOY award?
MVP, QB Dak Prescott
For a guy that came in second place for the award last season, Dak Prescott sure is getting slept on to win it this time around.
Betting odds have him as a major underdog for it, sitting far behind the front-runner Patrick Mahomes.
The argument against that is clear, however.
Prescott had the best statistical season of any quarterback in the league last year.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott finished second in MVP voting to the winner, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 9, 2024
Yes, he was better than Lamar Jackson, who won the award handily.
Jackson was the MVP because he was the quarterback of the best regular season team in the league, beating teams like the 49ers, Texans, Lions, and Dolphins.
When it came down to stats, Prescott was the guy.
Despite a weakened overall team because of their free agency approach, Prescott still has weapons at his disposal.
If he taps into that 2023 regular season magic, watch out.
Because he could have an MVP award and a massive contract coming his way.
Offensive POY, WR CeeDee Lamb
Having a Cowboys awards list without All-Pro CeeDee Lamb would be criminal.
The newest 88 in the franchises history had the best wide receiver season in Cowboys history last year.
Lamb finished third in OPOY voting, tallying a franchise record 1,749 receiving yards along the way.
#Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb tonight:
– 12 receptions
– 221 total yards
– 1 receiving touchdowns
– 18 yards per catch
– broke team receptions record
– broke team receiving yards recordA legendary night for @_CeeDeeThree ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/EaPoETG69S
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) December 31, 2023
Heading into 2024, the star wide receiver is in a similar position as his quarterback.
He is facing free agency after this season, and there does not seem to be an imminent extension for him.
That issue is worthy of an entire different conversation, but it does mean Lamb is playing for something more than wins this year.
If he were to put up an OPOY-level season, his new contract would be historic.
There’s no telling how much money a guy with his ability, track-record, and young age could get if he dominated in 2024.
Everybody knows he has the talent to do it.
Now, the question is will he jump up two spots from last year to grab the award this season.
